Helix winding machine with pitch guide means



Oct. 29, 1957 A. H. IVERSEN 2,811,193

' HELIX WINDING MACHINE WITH PITCH GUIDE MEANS Filed March 30, 1956 I? H 5 "JAIL/Lg $TL/;//-////%/I/ g GL1? 8 31 24 1 g- 4 Arthur H. Iversen INVENTOR 3? 3 4 Arromvs Unimd f s Patent HELIX WINDING MACHINE WITH PITCH GUIDE MEANS Arthur H. iversen, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, Calif., a corporanon of Delaware Application March 30, 1956, Serial No. 575,143

6 Claims. (Cl. 153-67) The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for winding precision helices and relates more specifically to such an apparatus for producing, under production conditions, helical coils and the like.

Helical coils used in various apparatus such as, for example, in traveling wave tubes, must necessarily be wound in a high precision manner in order that the efiiciency of the device employing the helices may be maintained at as high a level as possible, the energy exchanged as between an electron beam and the helical structure being largely dependent upon the exact nature of the geometry thereof. Material employed in the helices must necessarily be of a nonmagnetic variety. Frequently, high strength requirements in such helices dictate the necessity for use of molybdenum, tungsten or various alloys thereof as combined with steel, or the like. Accordingly, there are often considerable spring-like characteristics in the wire material. Additionally, it is very difiicult to obtain and/ or manufacture wire material from which the helices may be wound and which is of the required accuracy as far as varying diameters are concerned. Often wire material of the best quality will vary a few ten thousandths of an inch throughout the length thereof.

The usual winding apparatuses employed hereinbefore have failed to take into consideration the probable variations in wire thicknesses and, accordingly, longitudinal spacing between coils of the helices may vary in accord ance with diametrical deviations of the wire material.

It is, accordingly, one important object of the present invention to provide a winding apparatus for producing precision helical coils.

It is another object of the invention to provide a winding apparatus for helical coils wherein the pitch thereof is maintained at a high degree of accuracy in spite of slight variations in wire material diameter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a helical coil winding apparatus that may be used under production conditions to provide precision helices and in which rapid and eflicient operation is present, accompanied with low wear characteristics of components.

Other and further important objects of the invention will become apparent from disclosures of the following detailed specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the winding apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the winding apparatus partially broken away to illustrate details of construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the winding'apparatus; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the apparatus, as taken substantially as indicated by line 44, Fig. 3.

With reference to the drawing, the winding apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally at and includes an elongated base structure 11 having end portions 12 and 13. A carriage, indicated generally at 14, is disposed for longitudinal movement on the base portion 11 and guided thereon by means of a dovetail 15 on the ice carriage and cooperating ways 16 formed in the base structure 11.

The end members 12 and 13 of the base structure are adapted to provide an aligned support for a mandrel '17, that is longitudinally disposed therebetween. As shown in the drawing, the leftward end of the mandrel 17 is secured in a collar 18 and retained therein by means of a set screw 20. A shaft 21 extends from the collar 18 and is journalled in a bore 22 through the end member 12. The outer end of the shaft 21 may be threaded as at 23 for reception of one end 24 of a crank handle 25. It is to be noted that the collar 18 engages an inner surface of the end member 12 while the portion 24 and the crank handle 25 engages an outer surface of the end member 12, thus to prevent lateral movement of the retaining arrangement for the leftward end of the mandrel 17. The rightward end of the mandrel 17 is journalled in a sleeve 26 that is disposed in a bore 27 in the base structure end member 13, the axes of the sleeve 26 and the collar 18 being in longitudinal alignment and parallel to the ways 16 in the base structure 11.

The mandrel 17 may be made from any suitable relatively hard material, there being a transverse opening 28 through the mandrel adjacent the leftward end thereof, and a flattened area 30 on one side of the mandrel adjacent the rightward end thereof. The opening 28 provides a position for starting the winding of the helix H by insertion of the wire material of the helix therein. The flattened area 30 of the mandrel 17 provides a stopping point for the winding of the helix by permitting the wire material to be bent thereabout and prohibiting unwinding from about the mandrel. The mandrel may be removed from the end supports thereof by loosening the set screw 20, sliding the mandrel in the sleeve 26 and out of the collar 18.-

The carriage 14 includes a block body 31 which carries the dovetail 15. One end of the block body 31 has an upwardly disposed portion 32 through which a bore 33 extends, the mandrel 17 being adapted for slidabledisposition through the bore 33, this bore being in axial alignment with the axes of the collar 18 and the sleeve 26.

A wire guide is carried by the carriage 14 and integrally by an upper surface 34 thereof. The wire guide includes a vertically disposed guide member 35 having a U-shaped notch 36 therein, the notch 36 having a lateral depth less than the vertical width thereof, and an inner surface 37. The guide member 35 and the U-shaped notch 36 thereof are disposed adjacent the mandrel 17 with the notch '36 being substantially aligned with a lower extremity of the mandrel 17 whereby wire material conducted through the notch has an upper surface disposed on a tangent to the mandrel 17 and may be directed about the mandrel with out undue deformation thereof. The guide member 35 is disposed at an angle to a normal relative to the axis of the mandrel 17, this angle being substantially the same as the desired pitch angle of the helix H. The carriage 14 also has a pitch establishing follower 38 disposed therefrom and which has a surface 41) adapted for engagement with one lateral side of a penultimate winding of the helix H defined by wire material about the mandrel 17. The surface 40 of the follower 38 is also disposed at an angle equaling substantially the pitch angle of the helix B. It: is to be noted that the surface 40 of the follower 38 and the surface 37 of the U-shaped notch 36, each engage like lateral surfaces of the wire material (in the drawing, the

leftward surfaces) and that slight variations. in wire thick ness will thereby not adversely affect the precision of the helix.

The carriage 14 is also adapted to carry a tension mechanism for the wire material passing through the l J-shaped notch 36. This tension mechanism comprises a pressure plate member 41 which has a shaft 42 disposed longitudinally therefrom. One surface 43 of the pressure plate member 41 is adapted for engagement with a surface (the rightward surface, as seen in the drawing) of the wire material opposite from the surface thereof, engaged by the surface 37 of the notch 36 in the guide member 35. The shaft 42 is slidably disposed in bore 44 through the portion 32 of the carriage block 31, whereby to maintain directive alignment of the shaft 42 and the pressure plate member 41. A compression spring 45 is disposed about the shaft 44, one end of which engages the block portion 32, the other end of which engages an adjustable collar 46 that is threadably disposed on the shaft 42. Adjustment of the collar 46 serves to adjust the compression of the spring 45 and, accordingly, the force exerted on the wire material by the spring and through the pressure plate member 41.

The follower 38 is urged into constant contact with one lateral surface of the penultimate helix winding by means of a weight 47 attached to a rightward end of the carriage 14 as at 48 and by means of a cable 50. The cable 50 is adapted to extend through an opening 51 in the base end portion 13 and over a pulley 52 that is, in turn, carried by bracket 53 which is attached to an outer surface of the end portion 13.

In operation, it may thus be seen that one end of the wire material is inserted through the opening 28 in the mandrel 17 thus to anchor this end of the material. The wire material is then disposed through the U-shaped notch 36 in the guide member 35. Thereafter, it is only necessary that the crank 25 be turned to rotate the mandrel 17, the Wire material being fed through the notch 36 and about the mandrel 17. Proper tension is maintained at all times on the wire material by means of the compression spring 45, with the tension requirement being determined largely by the type of wire material employed for winding the helix. The pitch of the coils of the helix H is accurately determined by the follower 40 and its engagement with one lateral side of the penultimate winding of the helix, the follower 38 being biased into contact with this winding by means of the weight 47 and the action thereof in biasing the carriage in a rightward direction, as seen in the drawing. The surfaces 43, 37 and 40 of the plate 41, notch 36 and follower 38, respectively, are each suitably hardened to prevent undue wear thereof.

When the coils of the helix have been wound to a point whereby the last Winding overlies the flattened portion 30 on the mandrel 17, excess wire material may be cut off and the mandrel 17, together with the wound helix thereon may be removed from the winding apparatus. In some instances, it may be desirable to anneal the helix prior to removal from the mandrel in order to eliminate undesirable stresses therein and maintain the helix in the same condition as it was while on the mandrel and after removal therefrom.

It is to be noted that it is only necessary to provide different angular placement and relative positions of the guide member and the follower on the carriage, and relative to the axis of the mandrel, in order to alter the desired pitch of the helix.

Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment thereof, it is desired to emphasize the fact that many modifications may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a winding apparatus for wire helical coils: a base structure; means for rotatably supporting a mandrel longitudinally on said base structure; means for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel; means for rotat: ing said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; means for longitudinally guiding said carriage; a wire guide disposed from said carriage; wire tension means carried by said carriage for applying a variable force to wire passing through said 4. wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage and engageable with a penultimate winding of said wire about said mandrel, said wire guide and said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel; and means for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

2. A winding apparatus for wire helical coils comprising: a base structure; means for rotatably supporting a mandrel longitudinally on said base structure; means for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said base structure; means for rotating said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; means for longitudinally guiding said carriage; a wire guide disposed from said carriage, said guide having a generally U-shaped notch disposed at an angle to a normal to said mandrel; Wire tension means carried by said carriage for applying a variable force to wire passing through said U-shapcd notch in said wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage and engageable with a penultimate winding of said wire about said mandrel, an inner surface of said wire guide and a following surface of said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel; and means for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

3. A winding apparatus for wire helical coils comprising: a base structure; aligned means for rotatably supporting 1a mandrel longitudinally on said base structure; means carried by said base structure for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative thereto; means for rotating said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; means for longitudinally guiding said carriage; a wire guide disposed from said carriage; adjustable wire tension means carried by said carriages and spring loaded to apply a variable force to wire passing through said wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage. and adapted for engagement with a penultimate Winding of said wire about said mandrel, said wire guide and said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel, said follower having an angular disposition on said carriage and commensurate with a pitch angle of said helix; and means for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

4. A winding apparatus for wire helical coils comprising, in combination: a base structure; aligned means for rotatably supporting a mandrel longitudinally on said base structure; means carried by said base structure for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative thereto; manually operable means for rotating said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; means for longitudinally guiding said carriage; a wire guide carried by said carriage, said guide having a generally U-shaped notch disposed at an angle to a normal to said mandrel; adjustable Wire tension means carried by said carriage and spring loaded to apply a variable force to wire passing through said U-shaped notch in said wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage and adapted for engagement with a penultimate winding of said wire about said man drel, an inner surface of said wire guide and a following surface of said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel, said follower having an angular disposition on said carriage and commensurate with a pitch angle of said helix; and weight means for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

5. A winding apparatus for wire helical coils comprising, in combination: a base structure; aligned means arranged on said base structure for rotatably supporting a mandrel longitudinally thereon; means carried by said base structure and operatively associated with said aligned means for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative thereto; manually operable crank handle means for rotating said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; ways on said base structure engageable with said carriage for longitudinally guiding said carriage; a wire guide carried by said carriage, said guide having a generally U-shaped notch disposed at an angle to a normal to said mandrel; adjustable wire tension means carried by said carriage and spring loaded to apply a variable force to Wire passing through said U-shaped notch in said wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage and adapted for engagement with a penultimate winding of said wire about said mandrel, an inner surface of said wire guide and a following surface of said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel, said follower having an angular disposition on said carriage and commensurate with adesired pitch angle of said helix; and Weight means for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

6. A winding apparatus for wire helical coils comprising, in combination: a base structure; aligned means arranged on said base structure for rotatably supporting a mandrel longitudinally thereon; means carried by said base structure and operatively associated with said aligned means for preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative thereto; manually operable crank handle means for rotating said mandrel; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted on said base structure; ways on said base structure; a dovetail on said carriage, said dovetail being cooperable with said Ways for longitudinally guiding said carriage on said base structure; a wire guide carried by said carriage, said guide having a generally U-shaped notch disposed at an angle to a normal to said mandrel; an adjustable wire tension plate carried by said carriage; spring means disposed between said plate and said carriage for applying a variable force to Wire passing through said U-shaped notch in said wire guide; a helix pitch establishing follower disposed from said carriage and adapted for engagement with a penultimate winding of said wire about said mandrel, an inner surface of said wire guide and a following surface of said follower contacting said wire on like lateral surfaces thereof, said surfaces being on trailing sides of said wire relative to the direction of axial traverse of said wire longitudinally along said mandrel, said follower having an angular disposition on said carriage and commensurate with a desired pitch angle of said helix; and weightmeans for continuously biasing said carriage to force said follower into contact with said lateral surface of said Winding engaged thereby to form a coil as the mandrel is rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,296 Daniels Feb. 2, 1909 1,207,911 Hathaway Dec. 12, 1916 1,447,299 Freeman Mar. 6, 1923 1,671,983 Faust June 5, 1928 1,767,693 Morin June 24, 1930 2,325,462 Arthur July 27, 1943 2,604,138 Harrison July 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 162,380 Austria July 15 1948 

